Narendra Modi says people of Uttar Pradesh can bring 'Ram Rajya'

Varanasi: Narendra Modi, who had consciously avoided reference to the Ram Temple issue in his earlier public meetings in Uttar Pradesh, on Friday appeared to be making a veiled reference to it by speaking of bringing in 'Ram rajya'.

Addressing a public meeting in the temple town of the state, which sends the largest number of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, the BJP prime ministerial candidate said if the people want they can see the return of 'Ram rajya' which started from this land by voting for the right party.

"I have faith in the people of Uttar Pradesh. Your ancestors had established Ram rajya. Had the people not been empowered, there would never have been Ram rajya here. The state has all that is needed for Ram rajya. The strength, tradition and will needed for establishing Ram rajya is there in you," Modi said.

"If still there are problems here it is because you have not chosen the right government. I have full faith that the day you do so, this (Ram rajya) can become a reality," he added.

Modi raised emotive issues, including the cleaning of the holy Ganga -- referring to the river as "maa", creating employment for locals involved in the handloom sector, farmer issues and employment opportunities for the youth and the poor.

He said his government in Gujarat had cleaned up the Sabarmati river, which used to be highly polluted a decade back, with the clean water of Narmada and asked why the same could not be done with river Ganga.

Modi also hit out at Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family, blaming them for poverty, unemployment and corruption plaguing the country.

Hitting back at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over his charge that some parties make promises that lie outside the realm of possibility, Modi said he does not make empty promises and the BJP is going to the people with firmly grounded intentions.